Every Bloomin' Thing - V06 N06 - 1984-06

A Newsletter for the Horticulture Division of Walt Disney World

©1983 WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS

DISNEY COLLECTION
DOES NOT CIRCULATE

Vol. 6, No. 6

- T T aT- Ae D: 4

FROM KATY'S DESK

In the past few months, we have all been
made keenly aware that we work for a special and
unique cCompany--a company that is right now
going through some important changes as we head
to the future. There have been numerous articles
in the Sentinel analyzing WDW from a national,
financial vantage point. TV has certainly had its
share of coverage as it, too, provided us with
insight into the complexities of our corporation
and the challenges we face. But where do we in
the Horticulture Division fit amidst all this
analysis and change?

In fact, we in the Horticulture Division have
recently been involved in a number of different
studies that have helped us to review, measure
and evaluate our operations. We have to ask
ourselves questions like, "Are we doing a good
job?"; "Are we managing our responsibilities well?"
"Are we efficient and cost effective?"; "How
important is what we do to the overall success of
WDW?" What do you think?

Six months ago, all of us took the WDW Cast
Opinion Poll. This is a valuable tool for us. It
provided especially valuable information this year
since all of us in the Horticulture Division had an
opportunity to participate.

I would like to share with you some of the
results of the 1983 Cast Opinion Poll. It should
not surprise us to know that, in general, the
Horticulture Division is a well educated, well
motivated group of employees who know that what
they do at WDW is very important.

Did you know that...

41% of .all our employees have obtained
college degrees.

95% of our employees feel their job is
important to WDW.

47% of our employees feel the two things
that would help them most in their work
are...if they had more to say about how
the work is done and there was closer
cooperation between departments.

79% of our employees think WDW is managed
as well as or better than most companies.

44% of our employees understand that the
opportunity for advancement is poor in
our Division.

79% of our employees feel the educational
reimbursement is a valuable benefit.

72% of our employees have a good or
excellent understanding of their own job.

84% of our employees rate the Horticulture
Division's training programs as good or

excellent.
83% of our employees feel they get prompt
consideration on questions and

suggestions.
75% of our employees feel there is a spirit of
teamwork among co-workers.

In addition to the 1983 Cast Opinion Poll, the
Horticulture Division has recently assembled many
facts and figures for "Operational Appraisals."
These are quantitative studies done on each
operation at WDW to ensure that what we are
doing is efficient and cost effective. To date,
presentations on the Pest Control departments,
Landscape departments, Tree Farm/Nursery and
Horticulture Division Training have all been made
to the Vice Presidents of WDW. The Land is
scheduled in the near future.

It is good management to review and analyze
what we do periodically in order to make good
constructive decisions for the future. If you have
ideas, please share them with us. And always
remember, especially now, that we must continue
to work hard to achieve even higher levels of
productivity in each of our daily tasks. Keep up
the "Good Show"!

A Horticulture Division Publication

EXPERIMENTAL IS THE KEY WORD AIT EPCOT
CENTER

EPCOT: Experimental Prototype Community
of Tomorrow. Carrying out the experimental
theme of EPCOT Center is exactly what we are
doing with French Lilacs, (Syringa vulgaris), at
France in World Showcase.

The cultivar, 'Lavender Lady' has been bred
for heat resistance in California and is the variety
we are using in France. 'Lavender Lady' is one of
the Descanso Hybrids which do not require a
dormant season in order to flower. With fifty
shrubs planted, we hope to achieve a colorful and
fragrant show in 2-4 years. If other varieties
were planted in Florida, they would produce a
third-rate off-season bloom and gradually decline.

Another challenge we face here in Florida is
maintaining an alkaline soil condition for the
lilacs. We applied lime when the shrubs were
Originally planted and plan to monitor the soil pH
through regular soil tests.

We have yet to experience any pest problems,
however, scale, leaf miner, and downy mildew are
occasional problems of lilacs.

So next time you pass our way, come bid
bonjour to our newest "cast member", the
'Lavender Lady’.

Susan Griffith and Joe Hennessy
Showcase West

Hybrid Tea-

Olympiad

WINNER OF THE WORLD'S HIGHEST ROSE
AWARD FOR SUPERIOR QUALITIES SHOWN IN
2 YEARS’ NATIONWIDE TESTING AND JUDGING

OLYMPIAD--THE ROSE OF THE OLYMPICS

Even though our summer started in May this
year, June offered the usual expectations. Our
weather has been perfect for our annual color
program. Marigolds, portulaca, alyssum,
geraniums and begonias color the grounds with
hues of yellows, whites and reds. Actually, our
climate has been more mild than usual. Humidity
and winds are less than typical, and other than
assisting our landscape, it has made for a more
favorable environment for our guests.

With the Olympics just weeks away, our
department is hectic with preparations. The
"Olympic Roses" are in place, and should make for
a very impressive show for this special season.

Ken Inouye, Superintendent
DISNEYLAND

TILAPIA AT THE LAND...THE AQUATIC

CHICKEN

The Tilapias, a group of fish in the Cichlidae
family, are native to Africa and the Middle East.
Evidence from Egyptian tombs, dated 2500 B.C.,
provides the first indication of Tilapia farming.
Today no fish, except probably the common carp,
is more widely cultured. Tilapia production in
1983 was estimated at 200,000 metric tons, with
four Asian countries (Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia,
and The Philippines) accounting for 90% of that
total.

Tilapia may well be the "perfect fish" for
aquaculture. As a group they are hardy, disease
resistant, lend themselves to culture in very high
densities, and exhibit feed conversion ratios that
approach l:l (l pound of feed yielding | pound of
fish). Many species respond well to hybridization,
with some crosses producing vigorous, all male
offspring (desirable because males grow faster and
larger than females).

At The Land we are raising Tilapia aurea; the
blue tilapia. This species is more tolerant of
cooler waters and is frequently encountered in the
lakes of central and southern Florida. Our first
Tilapia harvest was concluded in April, with a
total of 1656 kilograms delivered to the Good Turn
Restaurant. Guest reaction was excellent, with
rave reviews for the sweet, delicately flavored
flesh.

Mike Andrew
Aquaculturist

A SEAR BULL OF GREENERY

If you happened to visit the Magic Kingdom at
the end of May or the beginning of June, you
probably noticed a strange metamorphosis taking
place with our turf. It is the time of year again
for a job known by many but loved by
few--verticutting. Verticutting is the process of
vertically cutting and, therefore, thinning, our
Bermuda and Zoysia. By removing accumulated
thatch and rejuvenating the rhizome growth we
Can maintain the manicured look our guests so
often question as being real turf.

While mounds of thatch began to accumulate
in the Transpo Mall, Ed, Laura, Steve and
Guillermo wiped their brows and just chuckled to
such guest comments as "You'd think they'd use a
grass catcher when they mow."

Several pieces of equipment were borrowed
from the Golf Resort this year as labor saving
devices in larger open areas where we had room
to manuever. Herb and Jane agree that with
Dewey running the Mott mower and with Dennis
driving a tractor driven aerator the job was
completed in no time. Now Larry and Mike are
trying to devise an easier way to scalp and Keith
has proof positive that the riding sweeper is the
only way to go when collecting thatch.

Contrary to popular rumor, the white sand top
dressing was not used for special effects to make
it look like snow in the Kingdom, nor has the
Victorian theme of the Hub gone to Polynesian
sand beaches. With a final application of
fertilizer we are ready to grow and, by George, it
has only been 10 days, and I: think it is time to
mow again. That's turf bizz!

Gerry Braun, Supervisor
Magic Kingdom

DRIPPING WITH SUCCESS

Water conservation and efficiency are just a
few of the reasons why tree farms and nurseries
around the world have turned in the direction of
Drip Irrigation.

A drip system consists primarily of a water
source converted to poly-pipe, a filter, a pressure
reducer, and a choice of many different emitters.

Here at the WALT DISNEY WORLD Nursery,
we are using two different types of drip systems.
One is a lead-weight tube, where the tube is
inserted into the poly-pipe and then the
lead-weight lays in the container. We use this
type on the Cascade mum benches and on many of
our container grown herbs. The system on the
mum cascades distributes water and fertilizer to
each container 3 minutes per day at the rate of
AO KPM,

The other type of system uses spray emitters.
These are used in our standard area and box areas.
Depending on the G.P.M. rating of the emitter,
these will easily soak containers from | gallon size
to 48" boxes. These emitters prove very effective
because of their low maintenance and their ability
to water the soil without wetting the foliage.

In the future, we will be looking at drip
irrigation more and more as we work to improve
and upgrade our systems at the Nursery.

Bill Whitaker
Tree Farm

TEN YEARS OF SERVICE

Seven Horticulture cast members will be
honored at the 1984 Distinguished Service Awards
Banquet Wednesday, July Il, 1984. They are:
Charles Dowdell (756), Hank Hendrickson (753),
Sanford Mace (88A), Irus Michel (753), Debbie
Rhymer (87B), Charles Robinson (756), and Joe
Sauter III (87B). Congratulations for your
contributions to our Horticulture show.

THE HONEYBEE

The honeybee is certainly a most important
insect to mankind due to the products it furnishes.
Its most important function, however, is in the
cross pollination of plants. |

Beekeeping (apiculture) had its beginning with
the early Egyptians, over 2000 years ago. Since
that time the practice of bee culture has evolved
into a highly complex field of endeavor. In
addition to honey sales, honeybees are reared for
package sales and the sale of queens is a great
source of revenue for some specialists. Many
farmers rent bees simply for pollination of their
Crops.

Here at WALT DISNEY WORLD bees are not
entirely beneficial to our show. In some instances
they become serious pests. Such instances are
expected to increase after last winter's adverse
conditions.

Pest Control initiates control measures for
honeybees only in the most extreme cases where
the safety of our guests is threatened.

Problems in most cases are handled by
commercial apiculturists who capture the swarms
and relocate them. Any employee encountering a
swarm of honeybees should call Pest Control
immediately.

Don Entzminger, Supervisor
Structural Pest Control

BOB CENTER RETIRES

Bob Center is retiring from 13 years of service
in Pest Control. He plans to pursue his hobbies
like lounging in his new pool, developing his
photographic skills, and making movies with his
new video camera. Congratulations and best
wishes.

Editor: Mark Krause

the oe od
As the weather warms, Pest Control Operators
and Gardeners alike should be on the lookout for
the cottonwood leaf beetle, (Chrysomela scripta).
This beetle is a very common problem at WALT
DISNEY WORLD on our many poplar and willow
trees.

Trees of the Salix and Populus families are
heavily attacked by this small one-quarter inch,
black and gold beetle. It feeds mainly on the
leaves of trees but the succulent bark from
seedlings may also be attacked.

Adult beetles overwinter in bark or under
forest litter. In the springtime, the adults become
active and fly to a host tree to feed. Yellow eggs
are laid in clusters of about twenty-five on the
underside of leaves. In two weeks, larva hatch

‘and begin feeding immediately. The larva

continue to eat for two weeks, until they become
full size and develop into pupa, which hang head
down from the underside of leaves. In another
two weeks, the adults emerge and the cycle is
repeated. Several generations occur per year.

Because of the many generations and their
huge appetite, it is important to get quick control
of this beetle. There are several insecticides
which give good results.

Gary Crossley, Supervisor
Horticultural Pest Control

Be ir

CLERK'S CORNER |

Fran Perkins, Department Clerk-Typist for
Structural Pest Control under Walt Pillows is
developing her computer skills on the UTS 400
terminal in the Horticulture Training Office. The
item tracking system maintains records on all the
chemicals used by Pest Control.

Typist: Deani Pendley

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